A wire loop amusement game

ABSTRACT

An amusement device including a base element, a wirelike guide element supported by said base element and extending upwardly therefrom, the guide element having a downwardly extending loop. A compressible resilient means surrounds the guide element and rests on the base element, said resilient means supporting selectively a plurality of weighted members which slide on the guide element, whereby depending upon the degree of compression of said resilient element, upon release, one or more of said weighted members are urged past the downwardly extending loop portion of the guide element.

United States Patent [72] lnventor Louis Biedny 27 Patton Drive,Somerset, NJ. 08873 [21 Appl. No. 827,629 [22] Filed May 26, 1969 [45]Patented May 11, 1971 [54] A WIRE LOOP AMUSEMENT GAME 4 Claims, 4Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 273/119, 46/43 [51] Int. Cl A63t 7/00 [50] Field of Search273/l,97, 119, 108, 118; 35/19 [56] References Cited UNITED STATESPATENTS 334,475 l/1886 Shaw 273/97X 1,141,389 6/1915 Gerding (273/108UX)1,620,912 3/1927 Okel 273/1 19 2,577,309 12/1951 Carwile 35/19X3,072,409 1/1963 Petraske 27 3/ 1 08X 3,204,956 9/1965 Ames 273/1Primary Examiner--Richard C. Pinkham Assistant Examiner-Paul E. ShapiroAttorney-Victor M. Helfand ABSTRACT: An amusement device including abase element, a wirelike guide element supported by said base elementand extending upwardly therefrom, the guide element having a downwardlyextending loop. A compressible resilient means surrounds the guideelement and rests on the base element,

said resilient means supporting selectively a plurality of I weightedmembers which slide on the guide element, whereby depending upon thedegree of compression of said resilient element, upon release, one ormore of said weighted members are urged past the downwardly extendingloop portion of the guide element.

A WIRE LOOP AMUSEMENT GAME This invention relates generally to the fieldof amusement devices, and more particularly to one involving a questionof skill on the part of the operator.

it is among the principal objects of the present invention to provide anamusement device in which a plurality of weighted members are supportedin juxtaposed position upon a guide element, the guide element alsosupporting a manually compressible resilient means and having a curvedportion associated therewith over which one or more weighted members maypass, depending upon the degree of compression of the resilient means,and the number of weighted members positioned thereabove at the time ofrelease.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of an amusementdevice the operation of which depends to a substantial degree upon theskill of the user.

Yet another object of the invention lies in the provision of anamusement device of the class described, in which the cost offabrication may be of a reasonably low order, thereby permittingconsequent wide sale, distribution and use.

A feature of the disclosed embodiments lies in the fact that the devicemay be constructed either as a hand held device, or for support by atable or other horizontal surface.

These objects and feature, as well as other incidental ends andadvantages, will more clearly appear in the progress of the followingdisclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claims.

in the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification,similar reference characters have been employed to designatecorresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation of a first embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 2 is a similar view in elevation of the first embodiment, showingcertain of the component parts in altered relative position.

FIG. 3 is a view in elevation of a second embodiment of the invention.

HQ 4 is a second view of the second embodiment, showing certain of thecomponent parts in altered relative position.

In accordance with the first embodiment of the invention, the device,generally indicated by reference character 10, comprises broadly: a basemember 11, a wirelike guide ele ment 12, a resilient element 13, and aplurality of weighted members 14.

The base member 11 may be of any suitable material, provided that it ispossessed of sufficient weight to assure stability during operation. Asseen in FIG. 1, it is bounded by an upper surface 17, a lower surface 18which can rest upon a table or other support (not shown) as well as acylindrical side surface 19. A centrally disposed vertical bore extendsbetween the upper and lower surfaces 17 and 18, and communicates with alower recess 21.

The guide element 12 is formed preferably of flexible steel wire, andincludes a lower threaded end which penetrates the bore 20 to be securedby a nut disposed in the recess 21. Extending upwardly from the basemember 11 is a vertical portion 26 connected to an upper downwardlycurved portion 27 and a second vertical portion 28 having a hookedportion 29 which prevents passage of the weighted members 14 thereby.

The resilient element 13 includes a coil spring 32 disposed on thevertical portion 26, a lower end 33 of which contacts the upper surface17, and an upper end 34 of which engages a slidably mountedfinger-engageable member 35. The upper surface 36 of the member supportsthe lowermost weighted member 37, each succeeding weighted memberresting upon the lower one.

The weighted members 14 may be hollow balls of synthetic resinousmaterial each having a bore penetrated by the guide element 12. Althoughillustrated as being of spherical shape, they may also be any convenientdecorative shape desired.

Operation of the device is commenced by placing all of the weightedmembers 14 in the position shown in FIG. 1 followmg which thefinger-engaging member 35 is depressed a suitable distance and released,resulting in the transfer of energy from the spring 32 to the weightedmembers. With proper degree of compression, enough inertia will beimparted to just permit the uppermost weighted member to pass from thevertical portion 26 over the upper curved portion 27 to the secondvertical portion 28. If too much compression is involved, more than oneweighted member will pass, and if insufi'rcient compression has beenmade, none of the weighted members will pass.

0n the next operation, it is necessary to compress the spring 32slightly less, so that, as in the case of the first operation, theuppermost weighted member will pass from the vertical portion 26.However, owing to the face that there are now fewer weighted members toplace in motion, the degree of inertia to be imparted to them iscorrespondingly reduced, so that the degree of compression employed onthe previous strokes is no longer applicable. Considerable practice isnecessary to determine and apply the proper degree of compression whichis relatively critical, and must be separately determined for eachsucceeding compressive action.

In the second embodiment of the invention, generally indicated byreference character 40, the construction has been varied by forming thebase element 41 in the form of a hand grip, which permits the devicewhen used to be placed in other than a completely vertical orientation,thereby varying the amount of force required to propel the weightedmembers up the correspondingly angularly disposed guide element 42. Itwill be appreciated that when using the second embodiment in other thana totally vertical condition, the mass of the weighted remains the same,but the effective force of gravity to be overcome is correspondinglyvaried.

In addition, the guide element 42 is provided with not only a verticalportion 43 corresponding to the vertical portion 26 in the firstembodiment, but a plurality of energy dissipating curved portions 44,45, 46 and 47, as well as a second vertical portion 48 corresponding tothe vertical portion 28 in the first embodiment. An end portion 49 isinterconnected with the lower end 50 of the base element 41 to providefor retention of the weighted members.

1 wish it to be understood that 1 do not consider the invention limitedto the precise details of structure shown and set forth in thisspecification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled inthe art to which the invention pertains.

lclaim:

1. An amusement device comprising: a base element, a wirelike guideelement supported by said base element, and extending upwardlytherefrom, said guide element including a first portion of substantiallyrectilinear configuration, adjacent said base element, and a downwardlycurved section connected to said first portion, a compressible resilientelement carried by said guide element, and a plurality of weightedmembers carried by and confined to said guide element and selectivelyresting upon saidresilient element; whereby upon manual compression ofsaid resilient element and subsequent release thereof, one or more ofsaid weighted members will be urged to pass up said rectilinear portionand onto said curved portion.

2. Structure in accordance with claim 1, said curved portion of saidguide element having weighted-member-retaining means connectedtherewith.

3. Structure in accordance with claim 1, said base element having meansfor manually grasping the same.

4. Structure in accordance with claim 1, said base element having ahorizontal lower surface for being supported upon ahorizontally-disposed support.

1. An amusement device comprising: a base element, a wirelike guideelement supported by said base element, and extending upwardlytherefrom, said guide element including a first portion of substantiallyrectilinear configuration, adjacent said base element, and a downwardlycurved section connected to said first portion, a compressible resilientelement carried by said guide element, and a plurality oF weightedmembers carried by and confined to said guide element and selectivelyresting upon said resilient element; whereby upon manual compression ofsaid resilient element and subsequent release thereof, one or more ofsaid weighted members will be urged to pass up said rectilinear portionand onto said curved portion.
 2. Structure in accordance with claim 1,said curved portion of said guide element havingweighted-member-retaining means connected therewith.
 3. Structure inaccordance with claim 1, said base element having means for manuallygrasping the same.
 4. Structure in accordance with claim 1, said baseelement having a horizontal lower surface for being supported upon ahorizontally-disposed support.